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Tour Report: 2017 Sony Open

The first full-field event of the 2017 PGA TOUR season kicks off this week at Waialae County Club in Honolulu, Hawaii where most TaylorMade staffers will look to capture their first victory of the year. Headlining the field this week is Olympic Gold medalist, Justin Rose. Rose will make his first start at the Sony Open since 2011 with some new tools in the bag to attack Waialae.

Rose’s new sticks:

Rose has played Muscle Back (MB) irons since the start of the 2014 season as he loves the traditional, clean, and classic look. Arguably the best ball-striker in the world, he is very critical of his irons and has a specific look he wants to see before considering playing them in competition. As a result, he provides our R&D team with valuable feedback each year so we can bring the best players in the world the latest innovation and technology in the package top golfers demand.

The 2017 Tour Proto irons hit every aspect he requested and then some.

“They are just awesome. Feel good. Look good. The dispersion pattern I see on them is extremely tight throughout the bag. Best irons I’ve had in years.”

Justin’s specs:

2017 Tour Proto irons 3-PW

Shaft: KBS C-Taper 130g

Flex: Extra stiff

Swing weight: D4

Grip: Lamkin Red Cap + 2 wraps

Lie: 3 iron 0.5° upright | 4-6 standard | 7-PW 1° flat

Rosey also added the all-new Milled Grind (MG) wedges to his bag to kick off the year. On TOUR, players traditionally have a custom grind they like to have on their wedges to match turf interaction to their liking. Justin was no different until the MG wedges were introduced to him. With the flawless milling process that goes into each and every wedge sole in the MG family, there was no need to add his custom grind, since it was already created for him. Rose prefers low bounce (LB) due to his shallow angle of attack — a trait of an extremely elite ball striker.

Wedge details:

Milled Grind 60° Low Bounce (LB)

Shaft: KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135g

Flex: Extra stiff

Swing weight: D5

Grip: Lamkin Red Cap + 2 wraps

Lie: 0.5° upright

Milled Grind 56° Low Bounce (LB)

Shaft: KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135g

Flex: Extra stiff

Swing weight: D5

Grip: Lamkin Red Cap + 2 wraps

Lie: 0.5° upright

Gary Woodland:

·Switched from 2016 M2 driver 8.5° into the 2017 M2 driver 8.5°. The new look and shape caught his eye, saying that it “looks so fast.” As one of the longest players on TOUR, the switch was seamless for Woodland after experiencing the added forgiveness the new M2 gives him. His dispersion tightened and he feels he can go after it and hit his patented high-fade on command without worrying about a big miss.

Ryan Palmer:

·Swapped his 2016 M1 15° fairway for the 2017 M2 16.5° fairway (High Launch). He added 1.5° of loft from last year’s 3-wood to land it softer into long par 5s, noting that he struggled last season to keep the ball on the green when he used it for his approach shots. With the M2 spinning less off the deck, he isn’t sacrificing any distance, but is able to launch it higher and more consistently.

John Huh:

·Switched out his PSi irons into the 2017 Tour Proto irons—and couldn’t get them in the bag fast enough.

“I tested them out at the RSM Classic and wanted a set as soon as I could get them. I love the traditional look. They’re a little smaller than my old PSi irons, but my carry numbers and distance control are the best they’ve been in a long time. The consistency and feel throughout the set is exceptional. They’re definitely keepers for the year.”

·Swapped out his 2016 M1 460 10.5° driver into the 2017 M1 440 10.5° driver. He has always been a high spin player off the tee, but couldn’t control last year’s 430cc model as well as the 460cc version, so he sacrificed some added spin to hit it straighter. With the 2017 M1 440cc version being more forgiving, John was able to finally get the setup he wanted.

“I just really like the smaller head shape. Always have, but I couldn’t get last years 430 model dialed in, so I opted for the 460…this 440 version though was the perfect head for me. It dropped my spin numbers down, and the forgiveness is so much better from heel to toe.”

Xander Schauffele:

·The 2017 PGA TOUR rookie saw the Tour Proto irons for the first time last week and put them in the bag the same day, stating,“It’s the easiest switch I’ve ever made with irons. I just love the classic look and they feel so pure at impact.”

·Added the 2017 M1 15° fairway to his arsenal, switching out of last year’s M2 15° 3-wood. He set the weight to its neutral setting as it allows him to work it both ways, but also flight it down if he needs to hit a tight fairway.

For insider information regarding TaylorMade athletes, equipment insights, and a behind-the-scenes look at life on TOUR check out our weekly TOUR Report and follow us on social media. Good luck to all competing at the Sony Open.

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#1 Driver in Golf claim based on combined 2015 wins and usage on the PGA, European, Japan Golf, Web.com, Champions and LPGA Tours, as reported by the Darrell Survey Co. and Sports Marketing Surveys, Inc. #1 Driver in the World claim based on combined usage of M1 driver on the PGA, European, Japan Golf, Web.com, Champions and LPGA Tours since September 14, 2015, as reported by the Darrell Survey Co. and Sports Marketing Surveys, Inc. #1 Fairway in Golf claim based on combined 2015 wins and usage on the PGA, European, Japan Golf, Web.com, Champions and LPGA Tours, as reported by the Darrell Survey Co. and Sports Marketing Surveys, Inc.